Pack for consumer goods

ABSTRACT

A pack (10) for consumer goods comprises an outer shell (12) and an inner box (14). The outer shell comprises a front wall (18), a rear wall (28) shorter than the front wall, a top wall (24), a bottom wall (26) connecting the front wall to the rear wall and side walls (20, 22) connecting a portion of the front wall to the rear wall. The inner box is for containing consumer goods (38), and comprises a front wall (30), a rear wall, side walls (32) connecting the front wall to the rear wall, a top wall (34) and a bottom wall. The front and top walls of the inner box have an opening (36). A hinge (16) connects the inner box to the outer shell. The hinge is flexibly connected to the rear wall of the inner box and flexibly connected to the upper edge of the rear wall of the outer shell so that the inner box can move between a closed position in which the inner box is nested in the outer shell and the bottom end portion of the inner box is overlain by the front, rear, side top and bottom walls of the outer shell, through an intermediate position in which the top wall of the inner box is visible immediately over the outer shell top wall, to an open position in which the upper end of the inner box is clear of the outer shell. A blank (60) for the pack is also provided.

The present invention relates to a pack for consumer goods, such as smoking articles, for example, cigarettes or other elongate smoking articles.

Consumer articles such as cigarettes and other smoking articles are often presented to consumers in hinge lid packs, usually of card, in which the articles are held in a box with an open upper end closed by a lid hinged to the top edge of the box. The closed pack is usually generally cuboid. In the case of cigarettes and other smoking articles, the articles may be in a wrapped bundle in the box, wrapped in for example metallised paper sheet, and the pack may be overwrapped with a sheet of a barrier material, such as polypropylene; these measures serve to keep the pack contents fresh during storage. When the pack lid is opened to remove an article form the box, it will generally partially close once the user has released it, even if the user does not positively close it, so that free access to the box is prevented until the lid is completely opened again.

It has been desired to provide a pack for consumer articles such as cigarettes or other smoking articles that once opened can remain fully open without intervention from the user and is easy to open and close.

According to the invention there is provided a pack for consumer goods comprising an outer shell comprising an outer shell front wall, an outer shell rear wall opposed to the front wall and shorter than the front wall, an outer shell bottom wall connecting one edge of the front wall to the corresponding edge of the rear wall, and opposed outer shell side walls extending from opposed edges of the outer shell front wall and connecting a portion of the said opposed edges of the outer shell front wall to corresponding opposed edges of the outer shell rear wall, so that the outer shell rear wall has an upper edge, the pack further comprising an inner box for containing consumer goods, the box comprising an inner box front wall, an inner box rear wall opposed to the front wall, opposed inner box side walls connecting opposed edges of the inner box front wall to corresponding opposed edges of the inner box rear wall and an inner box bottom wall, and the pack further comprising a hinge connecting the inner box to the outer shell comprising a first hinge portion flexibly connected to the upper edge of the rear wall of the outer shell and flexibly connected to a second hinge portion, the second hinge portion being flexibly connected to the rear wall of the inner box so that the inner box can move between a closed position in which the inner box is nested in the outer shell and the bottom end portion of the inner box is overlain by the front, rear, side top and bottom walls of the outer shell, through an intermediate position in which the top wall of the inner box is visible immediately over the outer shell top wall, to an open position in which the upper end of the inner box is clear of the outer shell.

The rear wall of the outer shell extends from the bottom wall of the outer shell toward the top wall, but does not reach the top wall. In preferred embodiments, the outer shell rear wall extends no further than 20%, preferably no further than 15%, more preferably no further than 10%, of the distance between the outer shell bottom and top walls.

In some preferred embodiments, the hinge comprises a first hinge portion flexibly connected to the free upper edge of the rear wall of the outer shell and flexibly connected to a second hinge portion, the second hinge portion being flexibly connected to the said upper edge of the inner box.

In some preferred embodiments, the rear wall of the inner box has a rear wall upper edge and the hinge is flexibly connected to the rear wall upper edge.

In some preferred embodiments the first and second hinge portions are joined along a hinge line.

In some preferred embodiments, the hinge is formed of sheet material folded to define the first and second hinge portions.

In some preferred embodiments, the outer shell further comprises a top wall opposed to the bottom wall. This gives very easy access to the pack contents when the pack is open.

In some preferred embodiments, the inner box has an opening in its upper portion, to allow access to the pack contents when the pack is open. The opening can be in for example the front wall of the outer shell or the rear wall of the inner shell, or in both walls. The opening can be defined by a line of weakness such as perforations, so that the user removes the part of the wall or walls on first opening the pack to make the opening. The opening can be partly defined by a line of weakness and partly by a fold line between walls of the inner box, such as the fold line separating the top wall from the rear wall or the top wall from the front wall. The user can break the line of weakness to make a flap which is opened to give access to the contents of the pack. Alternatively, the opening can be incorporated in the inner box during the manufacturing process.

In some embodiments, the outer shell and the hinge are integral with each other.

In some preferred embodiments, the outer shell, the inner box and the hinge are of folded sheet material, such as card.

In some preferred embodiments, the front wall of the pack has an aperture to allow the user to push onto the front wall of the inner box to move it from the closed position toward the open position, to make it easy to open the pack.

Also according to the invention there is provided a one piece blank for the outer shell and hinge of a pack according to the invention comprising an outer shell front wall panel, first and second outer shell side wall panels extending from respective first and second opposed edges of the outer shell front wall panel, an outer shell top wall panel extending from a third edge of the outer shell front wall panel, an outer shell bottom wall panel extending from the fourth edge of the outer shell front wall panel, an outer shell rear wall panel extending from the edge of the outer shell bottom wall panel opposite the outer shell front wall panel, a first hinge portion panel extending from the edge of the outer shell rear wall panel opposite the outer shell bottom wall panel, and a second hinge portion panel extending from the edge of the first hinge portion panel opposite the outer shell rear wall panel.

In some preferred embodiments, the one piece blank comprises a generally rectangular outer shell front wall panel.

Packs according to the invention can be used to hold consumer products of many types, and are particularly useful for holding elongate consumer products. The packs can be used, for example, to hold confectionery, such as sticks of chewing gum. The packs can also be used to hold cigarettes or other smoking articles.

The outer shell and the inner box are preferably generally cuboid in shape, so that the closed pack is generally cuboid. In some embodiments, the outer shell or the inner box or both may have curved or belled edges. The outwardly directed faces of the inner box or outer shell or both can carry information or branding or other indicia.

The outer shell and the inner box can be made of an adequately self supporting sheet material such as card.

Especially in the case of cigarettes and other smoking articles, the articles may be in a wrapped bundle in the inner box, wrapped in for example metallised paper sheet, and the pack may be overwrapped with a sheet of a barrier material, such as biaxially oriented polypropylene; these measures serve to keep the pack contents fresh during storage.

In this specification terms such as ‘top’, ‘bottom’, ‘upper’, ‘side’, ‘front’, ‘rear’ and the like refer to the pack in the normal upright position as shown in FIG. 1.

The invention will be further described, by way of example, with reference to the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a pack according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, partially open;

FIG. 2 shows the pack of FIG. 1, fully open; and

FIG. 3 shows a blank for the pack of FIGS. 1 and 2.

The pack 10 of FIGS. 1 and 2 comprises an outer shell 12 and an inner box 14 joined by a hinge 16 (visible in FIG. 2). The outer shell 12 has a front wall 18 and opposed first 20 and second 22 side walls extending perpendicular to the front wall and joined to each other at their ends by, respectively, a top wall 24 and a bottom wall 26. An outer shell rear wall 28 extends from the bottom wall 26 along the side walls 20, 22 for 10% of the distance toward the top wall 24 of the outer shell, leaving most of the rear of the outer shell open (FIG. 2). The inner box 14 has a front wall 30 opposite a rear wall (not visible in the FIGS. 1 and 2). The front 30 and rear walls are joined by opposed first 32 and second (not visible in the drawings) side walls and by a top wall 34 and a bottom wall (not visible in the drawings) opposed to the top wall. An opening 36 in the top 34 and front 30 walls of the inner box 14 allow access to the articles 38 in the inner box when the pack is open. A circular hole 40 is provided through the front wall 18 of the outer shell 12.

The outer shell 12 is connected to the inner box 14 by the hinge 16. The hinge consists of first 42 and second 44 portions (see FIG. 2) flexibly connected each other along hinge line 46. The first hinge portion 42 is flexibly connected along its edge opposite to the hinge line 46 to the upper edge 48 of the rear wall 28 of the outer shell 12. The second hinge portion 42 is flexibly connected along its edge opposite the hinge line 46 to the rear upper edge 50 of the inner box 14.

When the pack is shut, the inner box 14 is nested inside the outer shell 12, so that the closed pack is cuboid in shape. The front 28, side 30 and top 32 walls of the inner box 14 lie against the inner faces of the corresponding walls of the outer shell 12. The lower portion of the rear wall of the inner box 14 lies against the inner face of the rear wall 28 of the outer shell 12. The hinge 16 lies against the outer face of the rear wall of the inner box 14. The dimensions of the outer shell 12 and the inner box 14 are such that the inner box is friction fit in the outer shell 12.

To open the pack 10, the user pushes against the front wall 28 of the inner box 14, through the aperture 28 in the front wall 18 of the outer shell, using, for example, a finger. The hinge 16 pivots about the upper edge 48 of the rear wall 28 of the outer shell into the position shown in FIG. 1. The opening 36 in the inner box 14 is exposed and one or more articles can be removed from the inner box through the aperture. If no further articles are required, the inner box 14 can be pushed back inside the outer shell 12 so that the pack is in the closed condition. If, instead, it is required to maintain the pack in the open condition, the inner box can be pivoted further about the upper edge 48 of the rear wall 28 of the outer shell 12, and the bottom of the inner box 14 can be drawn over the inner face of the front wall 18 of the outer shell 12 towards the top wall 24 of the outer shell so that the upper end of the inner box is tilted away from the top wall of the outer shell, as shown in FIG. 2. In this position, the hinge 16 has pivoted about the rear upper edge 50 of the inner box 14 and the hinge line 46 between the first 42 and second 44 hinge portions to accommodate the movement. The open pack can be placed on a flat surface such as a table, with the front wall 18 of the outer shell 12 resting on the table top. As the inner box 14 is a friction fit in the outer shell 12, it remains in the tilted position, allowing easy access through the opening 36 in the inner box 14 to the articles 38 in the inner box. To close the pack, the user moves the bottom of the inner box 14 over the inner face of the front wall 18 of the outer shell 12 towards the bottom wall 26 of the outer shell 12. As the inner moves in that direction, the hinge 16 flattens against the outer face of the rear wall of the inner box an the bottom portion of the inner box slides under the rear wall 28 of the outer shell so that the inner box is nested in the outer shell.

Especially when the articles 38 in the pack 10 are cigarettes or other smoking articles, the articles may be in a wrapped bundle in the inner box, wrapped in for example metallised paper sheet, and the pack may be overwrapped with a sheet of a barrier material, such as biaxially oriented polypropylene; these measures serve to keep the pack contents fresh during storage. The opening 36 in the top 24 and front 18 walls of the inner box 14 through which the articles are removed from the inner box may be made by the user when the pack 10 is first opened, by removing a portion of those walls along lines of weakness. In other embodiments, the opening 36 may be provided during manufacture.

The outer shell 12 of the pack 10 of FIGS. 1 and 2 can be made from a blank 60 like that shown in FIG. 3. In the blank of FIG. 3, the panels are integral with each other and defined from each other by crease lines. The wall panels, including the inner and outer wall panels are rectangular and the securing flaps are trapezoidal, narrowing away from the edge along which they adjoin a wall panel.

The blank 60, of card, consists of a rectangular front wall panel 62 having an circular hole 40 through it. Extending from the opposed long edges of the front wall panel 60 are first 64 and second 66 outer side wall panels. From the edge of each of the first 64 and second 66 outer side wall panels opposite the front wall panel 62 extends, respectively, first 68 and second 70 inner side wall panels. From one of the short edges of the front wall panel 62 extends an outer top wall panel 72. From each short edge of the outer top wall panel 72 extends a top wall securing flap 74. From the edge of the outer top wall panel 72 opposite the front wall panel 62 extends an inner top wall panel 76. A lug 78 extends from each short edge of the inner top wall panel 76. From the short edge of the front wall panel 62 opposite the outer top wall panel 72 extends a bottom wall panel 80. From each short edge of the bottom wall panel 80 extends a bottom wall securing flap 82. From the edge of the bottom wall panel 80 extends a rear wall panel 84. From each short edge of the rear wall panel 84 extends a rear wall securing flap 86. From the edge of the rear wall panel 84 opposite the bottom wall panel 80 extends a first hinge portion panel 88; in the finished pack, the crease between the rear wall panel 84 and the first hinge portion panel 88 is the upper edge 48 of the rear wall 28. From the edge of the first hinge portion panel 88 opposite the rear wall panel 84 extends a second hinge portion panel 90. In the finished pack, the crease between the first 88 and second 90 hinge panel portions is the hinge line 46. From the edge of the second hinge portion panel 90 extends an attachment panel 92 along a crease line 94; in the finished pack this panel secures the hinge 16 to the inner box 14 along the upper rear edge 50 of the inner box. From each of the other two edges of the second hinge portion panel 90 extends a hinge strengthening panel 96.

To form the pack 10, each top wall securing flap 74 and each bottom wall securing flap 82 is folded onto the inner face of the respective outer side wall panel. Each rear wall panel securing flap 86 is folded onto the inner face of the bottom wall securing flap 82. Each inner side wall panel 68, 70 is folded onto the inner face of the respective outer side wall panel, trapping the top 74, bottom 82 and rear 86 wall securing flaps and the tabs 78 extending from the inner top wall panel 76 and secured by gluing. The inner top wall panel 74 is folded onto the inner face of the outer top wall panel 72, and secured by gluing. The hinge strengthening panels 96 are folded onto the second hinge portion panel 90 and adhered thereto. The outer shell 12 and hinge 16 are thus formed.

The inner box 14 can be made by wrapping a card blank around the articles to be housed in the inner box, for example, a wrapped bundle of cigarettes. The attachment panel 90 of the outer box 12 is secured by adhesive to the rear wall of an inner box 14 so that the crease line 92 between the attachment panel 90 and the second hinge portion panel 88 lies along the upper rear edge 50 of the inner box.

It will be seen that the invention provides a pack for articles such as cigarettes or other smoking articles that can be maintained in the open condition and can easily stand on a flat surface. When the pack 10 is closed, branding, information and other indicia on the outer faces of the front 18, side 20, 22, top 24 and bottom 26 walls of the pack 10 walls of the outer shell 12 and the outer face of the hinge 16 can be seen by the user. When the pack 10 is standing in the open condition, as shown in FIG. 2, branding, information and other indicia on the outer faces of the front 30, side 32 and top 34 walls of the inner box, the outer face of the hinge 16, the inner face of the front wall of the outer box 12 and the inner and outer faces of the side 20, 22, top 24 and bottom 26 walls can be seen by the user. Thus, there is more pack surface available for display of branding, information or other indicia than is the case with conventional packs of the same size. 

1. A pack for consumer goods comprising: an outer shell comprising: an outer shell front wall; an outer shell rear wall opposed to the front wall and shorter than the front wall; an outer shell bottom wall connecting one edge of the front wall to the corresponding edge of the rear wall; and opposed outer shell side walls extending from opposed edges of the outer shell front wall and connecting a portion of the said opposed edges of the outer shell front wall to corresponding opposed edges of the outer shell rear wall, so that the outer shell rear wall has an upper edge; an inner box for containing consumer goods, the box comprising: an inner box front wall; an inner box rear wall opposed to the front wall; opposed inner box side walls connecting opposed edges of the inner box front wall to corresponding opposed edges of the inner box rear wall; and an inner box bottom wall; and a hinge connecting the inner box to the outer shell comprising a first hinge portion flexibly connected to the upper edge of the rear wall of the outer shell and flexibly connected to a second hinge portion, the second hinge portion being flexibly connected to the rear wall of the inner box, so that the inner box can move between a closed position in which the inner box is nested in the outer shell and the bottom end portion of the inner box is overlain by the front, rear, side top and bottom walls of the outer shell, through an intermediate position in which the top of the inner box is visible immediately over the outer shell top wall, to an open position in which the upper end of the inner box is clear of the outer shell.
 2. A pack according to claim 1 in which the rear wall of the inner box has a rear wall upper edge and in which the hinge is flexibly connected to the rear wall upper edge.
 3. A pack according to claim 1 in which the first and second hinge portions are joined along a hinge line.
 4. A pack according to claim 1 in which the hinge is formed of sheet material folded to define the first and second hinge portions.
 5. A pack according to claim 1 in which the outer shell further comprises a top wall opposed to the bottom wall.
 6. A pack according to claim 1 in which the inner box has a top wall.
 7. A pack according to claim 1 in which the inner box has an opening in its upper portion.
 8. A pack according to claim 6 in which the opening is in the inner box top wall, the inner box front wall or in both the inner box top wall and the inner box front wall.
 9. A pack according to claim 1 in which the outer shell and the hinge are integral with each other.
 10. A pack according to claim 1 in which the outer shell, the inner box and the hinge are of folded sheet material, such as card.
 11. A pack according to claim 1 in which the front wall of the outer shell has an aperture.
 12. A one piece blank for the outer shell and hinge of a pack according to claim 1 comprising: an outer shell front wall panel; first and second outer shell side wall panels extending from respective first and second opposed edges of the outer shell front wall panel; an outer shell top wall panel extending from a third edge of the outer shell front wall panel; an outer shell bottom wall panel extending from the fourth edge of the outer shell front wall panel; an outer shell rear wall panel extending from the edge of the outer shell bottom wall panel opposite the outer shell front wall panel; a first hinge portion panel extending from the edge of the outer shell rear wall panel opposite the outer shell bottom wall panel; and a second hinge portion panel extending from the edge of the first hinge portion panel opposite the outer shell rear wall panel. 